"Did not disappoint at all"

I had not played the first game, for it seemed like it would be just another boring action game. When I heard the sequel was coming out, I decided I would take a look. After seeing the E3 Demo, I knew I just had to get this game.

Story 9/10

The storyline here is amazing. At the beginning of the game, Ezio doesn't seem to have a care in the world. A little while into the game, something horrible happens to Ezio, and he begins a mission of revenge, which slowly brings him into the Assassin-Templar war that the series revolves around. Ubisoft also did a great job of bringing the storylines together, especially at the end of the game. The cliffhanger at the very end of the game just begs the question "What will happen next?"

Gameplay 10/10

The gameplay is almost flawless. The few flaws are VERY easy to overlook. Fighting is fluid, and stringing together combos is simple yet great. Free running has a few problems, such as leaping when you don't want to if you free run too close to the edge of the building, or leaping off a beam in the wrong direction even when you push in the direction of the next beam, but otherwise it's incredible. Ezio will do most of the work for you, so all you have to do is find the quickest way up the building, to your destination, and the safest way down.

Sound 9/10

The sound in the game is great. The music matches the scene on most occasions. It may be peaceful while you tour around Venice, then pump up into a more up-tempo beat during a fight. The voice acting is great as well. The civilians don't speak much, but they have a great variety of things to say, whether saying their artist has great talent, or that a weekly bleeding is part of a healthy lifestyle.

Graphics 10/10

The graphics here are amazing, so much so, that you can guarantee that you may soon forget that it is a game, and think you are in the Animus in place of Desmond, controlling Ezio's every move. Facial expressions are often seen, not just the movement of the lips of the speaking character. When you assassinate an unsuspecting guard, you will see a patch of blood, and it will slowly grow. Even if you simply climb out of a body of water or a pile of hay, you will see your clothes darkened with water and dripping, drying slowly all the time, or you will find bunches off hay still stuck to you, some just falling off at a random point, others falling off as you walk.

Overall 9.5/10

This game is probably the best third person game I have played to date. It pulls me in, and I completely forget my surroundings and believe I am free running through Florence or swimming through Venice. I have found myself looking for famous landmarks, giving money to minstrels and workers, and dealing with pick-pockets (not just those who pick MY pockets) on many occasions. We can only hope that the sequel will be as good, or possibly even better.